Cabin Fever

There was very little to get out of bed for this morning, we'd had more snow over night and when I was forced out of bed to trundle off to the bathroom I sprinted back to the warmth the bed without delay. Robbie was sound asleep, sound being the operative word, he was making a noise like Ivor the Engine on a bad day. I tried to ignore it, after all he was at least acting as a giant hot water bottle, but he was spoiling my enjoyment of Radio 4, so I tried a little prod but there was no reaction, so I resorted to a swift pinch. He rolled over and made a sound like an old fashioned growling teddy bear the he resumed the distressed train noises.

Prods and pinches only produced more growling sounds so I had to resort to more drastic action, I started to recite poetry to him! To my surprise he enjoyed it, he didn't even seem daunted when I embarked on the The Pied Piper of Hamelin (perhaps because he didn't know how long it was). I took pity on him and stopped when 'the Mayor and corporation quaked with mighty consternation'. Just to be sure that he didn't doze off again I finished off the poetry with Cargoes, for some reason Robbie burst into a fit of the giggles when we got to the 'Dirty British coaster'. At least he was now wide awake and Ivor the Engine was finally silenced.

I had an important question to ask Robbie, I wanted to know who Brenda is? He had called out her name several times in his sleep. At first he looked puzzled then a look of recognition spread across his face. He announced that she was the daughter of his grandmother's best friend and that she must be about 70. I don't know if I was relieved or terrified, I know he has a bit of a thing for older women but that is a bit scary!

I sent him off to make a cup of tea and to think up a better excuse. He obviously needed a lot of thinking time because he vanished without trace, the tea arrived eventually but the promised bacon sandwich became lunch rather than breakfast! When I asked why I had been abandoned he grudgingly admitted that he had been 'suffering from' Cabin Fever - he 'accidentally' started watching a DVD.

Dozy!

David is still in hospital in Oxford, so I took my mum and Emily to visit him again, it is a really horrible journey with far too many roundabouts and stops and starts and it takes ages. David was moaning yesterday, a sure sign that he is getting back to his old self! He is having trouble sleeping because of all the noise on the ward.

I haven't really seen much of Robbie over the last couple of days, he leaves for work at about 6am and I don't get back from work until 10.30pm and by then I am so tired that I just want to sleep. Robbie sat down on the sofa soon after I got home and within seconds he was dozing. About ten minutes later he suddenly jolted awake and started talking, I didn't take much notice at first but I became aware that he was giving a detailed account of a plot from a Simpsons episode. As the question 'why?' formed in my head, he stopped talking and looked confused. Then he admitted “I've been rambling haven't I” and he settled down and went back to sleep – a bit like the dormouse in Alice in Wonderland!

Bob the Bagman 15.02.07

Bob the Bagman has been in Leeds all day and he will not be home until after 9pm, so we haven't had any opportunity to disagree today. He is back in my good books and fully restored to his usual sunny self.

There really isn't much to tell you today, unless I tell you what he does in his sleep, or about the incident with the brush. The girls wickedly suggested that I should write about my weird taste in men, but maybe one day Robbie will write about that. I don't see why they find it so funny that I like David Attenborough, he's a hero not a pin up!

It will not surprise you to know that Robbie talks in his sleep! Sometimes he does journey enquiries or timetable stuff, but the other night he kept shouting out that he had his hand full, I dread to think what he was dreaming about. He has a little handicap that tends to get him into trouble, he answers questions in his sleep - truthfully! It's amazing! Being a slow learner he still tries to get away with the odd 'porky' but he doesn't get away with it for long.

The incident with the brush was quite funny. He was in a strop and while we were in the car Sam told him that earlier in the day we had brought a new brush. I hasten to add that it cost £4.99 and didn't exactly break the bank, but I could see by his face that he had taken an instant dislike to the brush. I could see him counting on his fingers the reasons why it wouldn't be fit for purpose. I wanted it to pick up dog hairs, it does the job, no problem, but Grumpy spent ages trying it out and disapproving of it. I had to restrain myself from finding a completely different use for the telescopic handle! I don't think he will ever look at that brush without feeling slightly insecure!